Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-06-10
Scientific Temperance.
BY a MINISTER'S WIFE.

by a MINISTER'S WIFE.
wonder if any other mother has two
boys who are such walking interroga-
ton points as mine are. They come
home from school, bubbling over with
information, which they proceed to i'm
part to me in Socratic fashion. "Mam-
ma, who killed the Gorgon?" said Ar
thur, who is reading Charles Kingsley's
"Greek Heroes" at school = one day
last week, when ! was busy making Il
cottage pudding for dinner. tried to
remember whether 1T was Perseus or
Theseus. and on the Irishman's princi-
pie thattttR' ls was not one it was the
+ other, managed to answer it right.
The next question proved not so easy:
Mamma, where are the Eastern High
4 lands?" ooh, a part of.Roston,. ! sup
pose," | answered absently, trying to
remember whether had put any salt
in the pudding sauce. "Not right said
my young mentor, "the Eastern High
lands extend from the Appalachian
system to the Great Atlantic Plain"
'"Well," said, "you can see the great
Atlantic plain in Boston; that is, if you
stand on high enough ground and use
your eyes ooh, tou mean the great
Atlantic Ocean; that isn't it at ALL"
said nv Disguised young teacher.
The new temperance text books have
just been introduced into our schools,
so now, my teaching is all in the line
Of the physical effects of alcohol bn the
human system. Mamma, what does
alcohol do to the muscles r. said Eddie;
the younger and more fervid apostle of
temperance, the other day. Il suppose
it weakens them" said; doubtfully.-
NO, it don't, it changes the muscles in
to fat" said Master Eddie, and both
boys looked suspiciously at my plump
self. "Oh, WELL" ! answered quickly,
in self-defence, sit doesn't make good
solid fat, but soft and tiabby" Both
boys gave my arm reassuring pinch,
and confidence was restored to their
youthful bosoms.
@What Noes alcohol DO to the humAn
stomach ?" was the next question. "1t
causes dyspepsia, said l, taking refuge
in q long word. "Worse than that
said both boys in a long chorus, sit
takes the coat all off a mans stomoch."
81 have known it to take the coat off
his back, too answered, loosely; but
they were in no joking mood. ",That is
nothing, mamma; a man might stop
drinking and earn money and buy a
new coat for his back, but he could new.
er get the coat for his stomach back
again"
Another time, when we had boiled
eggs for breakfast, the boys took oc-
casion to explain how the brain be-
comes cooked in alcohol until it is al
most like the hard-boiled egg, until, a,
last, said, "Well, boys, how TO you
suppose Il man feels with his muscles
turn ed to fat, the coat of his stomach
all gone, and his head full of hard-boil.
ed eggs, instead of orains?" Il thinl,
he didn't know whatit was going to de
him, or he wouldn't have used it," sale
Eddie. you won't get any of ths
school boys to use it, not if they was a
dying, he protested, forgetting his
grammar in his earnestness.
After the boys had gone to school
! kept thinking Of Eddie's words, anc
thanking God for scientific Temperance
teaching IN the schools. viii the boys
with such teaching as that grow up an(
vote to license Il rum-seller? Never
rot even if, as Some one may suggest
they find that their early teaching wa:
too broad, and that drinking men de
sometimes manage to live, i'll spite o.
all these deadly dangers, to Il bad ole
age. They will see enough in the arm.
of drunkards yearly marching to thu
grave, to assure them that the danger:
Of alcohol We're not overdrawn, and, il
ten years more, we will have an army
OF intelligent temperance young men
who may be depended Ut pom to vote mo
on the liquor Question.
Girls, Beware.
Chicago Tribune, 6: 81 say, girls, $
cried Francis Murphy last evening at
the Chicapo Avenue church. "dont